The Health Bureau (SSM) said in a statement on Friday that blood collections in Macau have “temporarily” returned the amount of blood in stock to a safe level, which can be used by the city’s hospitals for eight days.
The statement noted that the number of blood donors has been on the rise recently, with 167 people donating blood on Wednesday, which was three times the average number in the past, adding that there were also 167 donors at the blood donation centre on Thursday, with 45 donors at its Mobile Blood Collection Vehicle.
Macau’s blood donation centre is located on the second floor of the Hotline centre in Nape.
Due to the recent increase in the use of type A blood in hospitals, according to the statement, blood type A is now the lowest ratio of blood in stock. However, as patients with type A blood can receive type O red blood cells, it will not affect the transfusion needs of patients with type A blood for the time being as the stock of type O red blood cells is relatively sufficient, the statement underlined.
The sharp drop in the number of blood donors in Macau at the beginning of this month was due to the fact that many residents who could donate blood were still infected with COVID-19 and were unable to give blood, the statement said, adding that as most of those infected with the novel coronavirus have recovered, and being aware of Macau’s low blood bank stocks, the number of blood donors has been on the rise in recent days.
With the assistance of the Macau Customs Service (SA), Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM), Judiciary Police (PJ), Pui Ching Middle School, Sands China and people from all walks of life in organising a blood collection drive, the stock of local blood has been “temporarily” restored to a safe level, the statement noted.
The Health Bureau expressed its gratitude to Macau’s “enthusiastic” residents for their support and assistance in bringing the city’s stock of blood to a safe level quickly, so that patients in need of a blood transfusion can receive “timely and appropriate care”.
Meanwhile, the statement pointed out that the blood donation centre plans its stock of blood needed in line with the amount of blood used by local hospitals, and with the increasing amount of blood used by the hospitals year by year, the amount of blood collected by the blood donation centre also needs to be increased year by year.
The statement noted that last year, 14,170 people registered at the blood donation centre and 18,214 units of blood were collected, an increase of 3.11 percent compared to 2021.
The Health Bureau urged the public to continue to support the local blood collection centre’s work, pay close attention to the blood storage volume on the centre’s website, and give timely support to the centre to ensure that Macau’s blood storage volume remains at a stable level.
This undated handout photo provided by the Health Bureau (SSM) on Friday shows residents donating blood in a Mobile Blood Collection Vehicle.
